What are you looking for

Four decades ago, the Dutch brew Heineken was largely viewed as an exotic beer for American palates. 10 years later, Belgians were the all the rage, and with good reason.

But nothing has impacted the beer business more than the explosion of craft beer in America in recent years. In 1985 everyone in our industry was talking about a new concept--a brewpub called Mendocino Brewing Company and its Red Tail Ale. Fast forward 30+ years and it seems like a new microbrewery is opening in every neighborhood. In Long Beach alone there are many such establishments with more opening each year.

Not all craft beers are created equal, however, and it takes a discerning expert to determine which new beers are truly worthy of sharing with our customers and which beers are merely new.

The Wine Country is proud to introduce our new beer buyer Nic Bradley. A native of San Diego and Orange, California, Nic served in the United States Air Force for eight years and worked as a military contractor for an additional three years before pursuing his passion for craft beer. The father of a close friend introduced Nic to what would become his consuming passion and when given the chance, Nic ran with it.

Immersing himself headlong into his craft, Nic worked as a beertender in several leading craft beer bars before taking a position with Long Beach Beer Lab.

In December 2017 Nic was awarded a Cicerone level 1 certified beer server, which brought him to the attention of The Wine Country.

Nic's experience makes him an excellent resource for any inquiries our beer customers may have regarding new releases, old favorites and the status of hard-to-find brews.

As Nic furthers his beverage education, be on the lookout for his advice on spirits, too. Enthusiasm and curiosity have a way of rubbing off on those who share those traits.

Aside from beer, Nic is an avid baseball fan and loves post-pop punk, hardcore and heavy metal. He is married to Nonafaye Williams-Bradley, a project manager for Fearless Records.